Monday, 8 January 2007

...but for me and thee.

Final on the Black Diamond Detective Agency for a while, but we will be back. In case the facetiousness here at campbell-blogspot should give a false impression of levity in the overall tone of the book, here is a page with a glimpse of the tragic. It's also the first appearance of a Black Diamond Detective. And I'm rather pleased with my colour scheme, if I may say so.

(click for larger)

* * * *Joining in the spirit of proposed spousal address here at campbell-blogspot, Brad Weber sent me an email beginning 'The wife took me to the art institute in Chicago..." and apropos of my 'cork people', he attached a photo of some little figures made by Lyonel Feininger which are on display at the museum, of which this is an enlarged detail.

For a look at his comic strip work, Andy at Bugpowder is a good place to start. Here's a reduced detail from one of the pleasing full-scale pages on show there, including some examples I'm unfamiliar with, presumably work published in Germany rather than the two famous series he made for the Chicago Tribune. The little figures above look like the Kinder Kids from that paper, which is where the panel below comes from.

* * * *My pal White, chartered accountant with a legal firm, as you may or may not recall, sends the following:"The defence lawyer of a Wisconsin man charged with having sex with a dead deer is claiming he's innocent of any wrongdoing - because a "crimes against sexual morality" statute prohibits sex with animals, but fails to mention carcasses, The Duluth News Tribune reports..."

" . . . Kitchen Sink put out a full collection of the pages back in 1994, but you ain't getting my copy."

Later this year, Fantagraphics should be releasing a new book of F.'s comic-strip work. It will be very similar to the 94 KS version, or so I hear. Used copies of the KS book can still be found for a reasonable price, and needless to say it is highly recommended.

I had a bad dream last night that Black Diamond Detective Agency came out and was flawed in some dream-logic way because (as only I understood) your professed indifference to movies led you to read the script wrong and produce something deeply unsatisfactory. And I posted my explaination of the (inexplicable dream-logic)flaw on this blog, with fear and trembling. But my oracular track record is wretched, so no worries.

Did you know back in the 40's there was a Western comic hero named the Black Diamond? There's a pic of him at http://accomics.anonwebhost.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=ACS&Product_Code=BOTW43

David, drjon, thanksM Elias, noted.Nathalie, thanks,Aaron, snap! had that dream myself last night. And I wasn't pleaed with your explanation I must say. Actually, I think my indifference to movies enabled me to efficiently rethink one of the action scenes into something that uses the comicbook technique in an interesting way and would have been difficult on the screen.Mikel. Yes. I have an old issue. Bill Horberg sent it to me after I'd been working on the book a few months. A Lev Gleason Publication.

Oh, I think my dream was way off base; I was reporting my dream logic, not my waking expectation. I've been engaging some less-than-successful adaptations lately (Edward Albee's theatrical adaptation of Lolita is Exhibit A)and perhaps that's what came bubbling up. I'm quite eager to read Black Diamond, and hope if it is filmed you'll get your cut. And that it'll be better than the From Hell movie.

AaronI was attempting to be humorous above, but in truth one goes into a horrible panic and swamp of doubt in the months after finishing a book. and having hollywood in the mix does not put one's mind at rest. We shall wait and see... (with sweating brow)

In the meantime I'm working on a book about... no I'll save that a little while, it would be too much information for one weekeddie

I'm reading my way thru your blog's archives at the moment...I followed that link above to Poppy Z. Brite's mention of From Hell...then, out of curiosity, clicked thru to her current entry (March 5th, "If I Were A Tiler")...and guess what I find she's quoting there?

I got a kick out of the coincidence -- "architecture of time" etc

'Course, for all I know, she's referring to the damned book every other day.

Really enjoying the archives...am new to this blog-reading business, so apologies if it's an annoyance to receive comments on posts from the distant past...see you when I catch up with you back in the future!